To keep your frozen water bottle frozen longer during the day, put it into one of those spare socks that have no mate. I was surprised at how much longer the water stayed frozen.
I am the proud owner of a large trash bag of widowed and orphaned socks--all colors, all sizes. Although Erma Bombeck would have known where to search for the mates, we've lost her and are on our own. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to use these single socks--or is there anyone who would like this bag for quilting scraps or something? Thanks.
Could you donate them to a daycare or preschool for sock puppet making?
An idea I read on this site, and am planning to try, is to take the longer socks and fill them with fiberfill or other stuffing and use for stopping air leaks at the bottoms of doors. I just haven't gotten around to doing it yet!
Use them to dust! Slip one over your hand, spray and wipe!
If you have a small loom you can cut them into strips(the short way to form loops) and weave pot holders. Another idea is to again cut them the short way and weave a rug. I have done both of these ideas and they work out great.
If you use a food saver and canning jars, slip one over each jar to limit the jars getting broken in the freezer from getting bumped. Also if they do get broken, the pieces are contained in the sock.
If you cut off the feet, they make great legwarmers for babies.
For crafts--sock puppets and also cute animal theme beanbags that are easy for kids to fill and stitch (older kids) or have adult hot glue closed (for younger kids).
For cleaning purposes, I have a bag of odd socks hanging in the laundry room and also a long 1/2" dowel. When the narrow space between my fridge and cabinets gets full of dust that I can see but can't reach, I place a sock over the end of the dowel and secore the top of the sock with a rubber band wrapped tight enough to hold. Then I am able to spray the sock lightly with cleaner and wipe up all the dust and also any spills that have gone down the side of the fridge. I use the dowel and sock under my entertainment center and big pieces of furniture that are hard to get under otherwise. When I'm through, I throw the sock away as there are many more where that one came from.
When we were children Mom saved all of the mis-matched sock for the winter. When we went out side we would double up our socks to keep our feet warm.
I use the socks that have lost their mates to make pet beds. My dogs love to get their new beds stuffed with these socks. They are launderable and fluffy!
Slit them from the toe through the heel and up to the top. Use them for cleaning rags. You can rewash and reuse or use once, and toss them out. I keep a bagful in my woodworking shop to wipe off excess glue or paint spills, etc.
Put potpourri in socks and use as a drawer freshener or can be placed in shoes for a shoe freshener.
cut off the tops and stuff with fiber fill, and sew together making a quilt.. You can mount them on a blanket or once filled make the old fashion quilt with the batting and adding a backing... either of the ways work... OR you can stuff them sew them closed and sandwich them between two layers of material as the quilt batting. Just create as you go... its fun...
If you have kitty cats, you can put catnip down inside the toe and tie a knot in the sock. You might have to cut off and discard the excess.
I have a great tip for those who don't know what to do with those pesky lonely socks and mittens that we all have. I have 3 fantastic girls but they are always losing their mates.
When your kids go out to play in the snow let them wear pairs of unmated socks, probably more then one to keep warmer. Then when they come in just let them put on the regular mated socks.
Little hands seem to have a hard time holding on to and using sponge or other type erasers that come with chalk boards. Slip one of the child's old socks (or new!) over the hand he is not using to write with.
Do you ever wonder what happens to the socks that go in a pair and come out a single? Well, instead of doing the sock puppet route, I use them for other things.
I was needing to pack some highly breakable items they are very sentimental to me and I didn't want them to break while I have to store them. I didn't have bubble wrap or newspaper but I did have a million old socks so I decided to use them for my packaging.
I discovered about a hundred (no kidding) unmatched socks this morning, all of different kinds and sizes. Does anyone have any idea what I can do with them before I'm forced to throw them all away? Most of them are still in pretty good shape, they just lack a partner. Thanks for the ideas! I'm open to anything.
By ramona
I used to recycle old socks by cutting the toe section off, then sliding the sock over my children's bottles, sippy cups, juice boxes or canned drinks. This helps keep little hands from getting cold.
When filling the gas tank on my vehicle I seem to always get the smell of gas on my hands. For years I carried a pair of gloves to wear just for this and slipped them in a plastic bag in between fill ups, now and then I would take them in and wash them.
I have a zillion socks that have NO mates. I hate to throw things out and have been wondering if anyone out there can give me some ideas on how to recycle them into useful items or gifts or whatever!
Having 5 young children it seems I am eternally ending up with "onesie" socks. I have been putting them to good use for my little ones by using them as a holder for ice pops and frozen yogurt in plastic sleeves.
A couple more uses for those single socks. Cut the cuff section plus 3 inches or so and slip it cuff end up over the top of dish detergent bottles.
